HTPC Remote Control Recommendations?

4RunR · 20 Jul 2010 at 19:46

I'm currently on the hunt for a remote control for my HTPC. Anyone here have any recommendations? I would like to keep my budget under £20.

jellybeard999 · 20 Jul 2010 at 22:37

Whichever Logitech Harmony fits in budget

4RunR · 21 Jul 2010 at 11:30

Thanks for the suggestion.

Last night I discovered this: Vectir HTPC Remote Control.
It's a software program that lets you use your mobile phone as an HTPC remote control. You install a server program on your PC and client program on your mobile. I'm currently running a trial and it does everything that I need so will probably buy it.

MeMeMeMe · 21 Jul 2010 at 15:28

I've got this, and I'm very happy with it:
http://www.emprex.com/01_news_02.php?newsid=98

Was £15 when I got it - price is closer to £20 now, but still under.

jellybeard999 · 21 Jul 2010 at 18:35

Sorry, didn't read the thread properly

Go for a proper microsoft remote and receiver - the best supported and works great with the aforementioned Harmony if you decide to go for an all in one.

Columbo · 21 Jul 2010 at 18:59

MeMeMeMe said:
I've got this, and I'm very happy with it:
http://www.emprex.com/01_news_02.php?newsid=98

Was £15 when I got it - price is closer to £20 now, but still under.

I've got this exact remote and it works like a charm. Its built well and very responsive.

MeMeMeMe · 22 Jul 2010 at 04:51

ManCuBuS said:
I've got this exact remote and it works like a charm. Its built well and very responsive.

And it is a windows media center certified remote, as recommended upthread.

Django x2 · 22 Jul 2010 at 20:44

Philips Pronto for the win!

Conrad11 · 22 Jul 2010 at 21:47

MeMeMeMe said:
And it is a windows media center certified remote, as recommended upthread.

How long do the batteries usually last for you?

MeMeMeMe · 23 Jul 2010 at 09:54

Conrad11 said:
How long do the batteries usually last for you?

I couldn't say - I haven't had it a week yet. Also, I've just discovered a problem that tempers my recommendation...

ManCuBuS said:
I've got this exact remote and it works like a charm. Its built well and very responsive.

Are you able to use the triple-tap function of the numeric keys? where they work like mobile phones keys, allowing you to cycle through letters?

I can't get it to work on mine. I've added the registry file that comes on the little mini-cd, but it hasn't made a difference.

This makes it impossible to use the search function within media center - not crippling, but definitely restrictive.

Conrad11 · 23 Jul 2010 at 23:11

Well I ordered a remote, I'll let you know how I get on with it.

BunnyKillBot · 24 Jul 2010 at 20:57

I use the Keysonic ACK-540 with my htpc; laptop style keyboard+mouse pad.

Don't need anything else tbh/

MeMeMeMe · 27 Jul 2010 at 11:08

I doubt that has a very good WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor).

I posted earlier about the Emprex. I am very happy with the key layout and the 4 extra dedicated library buttons it has that other MCE romotes don't have, but one feature refuses to work: Media center allows use of number pad for text entry in searchj boxes. The Emprex is supposed to support that, but it doesn't work on my Win7 64bit computer. I suspect it works fine on Vista.

Anyway, I got one of these on ebay:
Hauuppauge MCE Remote
It works perfectly.

snow patrol · 27 Jul 2010 at 12:07

guys, i'm in a similar boat to the op except that i already have a remote (logitech harmony 555). So all i need is an iR receiver, right? Which one should i get?

edit: and do all these work with linux?